Brick Schools Offering STEM Academy Exams This Week

BRICK, NJ -- Brick Township middle schoolers who are interested in pursuing careers in the STEM fields have the opportunity to apply to participate in the district's STEM Academy, which begins in fall 2016.

The STEM Academy was approved in January by the Board of Education, along with a business/finance academy, with the goal of instituting it for the fall.

Entrance tests are being conducted this week -- Tuesday at Veterans Memorial Middle School, and Wednesday at Lake Riviera Middle School -- and the remainder of the application, including references from teachers, must be submitted by April 7, according to information on the district's website.

Click here to see the full application.

"Today’s job market is ever changing due to our society’s increasing dependence on, and expansion of new technology. Accordingly, education itself is changing dynamically in order to keep pace and meet the future needs of our students," the district website says. "Recognizing this need resulted in the development of the STEM Academy, which will offer a specifically designed course of study for high school students who are seriously considering a career in the STEM fields.

"The STEM Academy will expose students to and prepare them for problem-based learning, scientific and mathematical-orientated fields of study, and develop the latest STEM skills and aptitudes which can be successfully integrated into today’s ever-changing technological job market."

It's not just about adding technology and engineering to existing science and math curricula, the district said.

"STEM education removes the traditional barriers erected between the four disciplines, by integrating the four subjects into one cohesive stream of teaching and learning," it says. "The engineering component puts emphasis on the process and design of solutions instead of the solutions themselves. This approach allows students to explore math and science in a more personalized context, while helping them to develop the critical thinking skills that can be applied to all facets of their work and academic lives."

Each STEM Academy -- one is being established at each high school -- will admit 24 students at each high school for the fall of 2016.